Nut-lock



(No Model.)

W. 0. MOLIMANS.

NUT LOCK.

No. 354,837. Patented Deo. 21, 1886.

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NITED STATES PATENT Ftrice.

`NUT-Lock.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 354,837, dated December 21, 1886.

Application filed July 31, `1386. Serial No. 209,614. (No model.)

To @ZZ whom t may concern:

Beit known that I, WILLIAM G. McLIMANs, a citizen of the United States, residing at Gap, in the county of Lancaster and State of Pennsylvania, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Nut -Locksg and I do hereby declare the following to be a full, clear, and exact description of the invention, such as willenable others skilled in the art to which it appertains to make and use the same.

. Heretofore spring-wire has sometimes been bent to form a nut-lock; but, so far as I am aware, it has always been used in a single piece. This must necessarily be insecure or difficult of removal.

My present invention consists in the combination, with the body of the wire having parts that nt on the bolts, of a second piece which is pivoted to one end of the body and engages a hook on the other end thereof, the intermediate g parts of this piece, which I term a lockinglever,77 bearing against one side of each bolt to lock it against turning. The nut-lock, consisting of the body and pivoted locking-lever combined, may of course be applied to a single bolt and nut. In either case it holds securely, but is easily removed.

I am aware that a locking-plate has been used witha spring-plate behind it, the former having recesses or openings to fit and lock the nuts, while the spring-plate holds it in place. rIhis I do not use or claim, preferring a nutlock of wire, which requires no additional fastenings and more readily allows access to the nut, besides other advantages. These objects I attain bythe construction as illustrated in the accompanying drawings, similar letters referring to similar parts.

Figure lis afull side'elevation showing the device holding the nuts on bolts through the sh-plate of arailroad-track. Fig. 2 is a side elevation showing the same device applied in a different Aform. Fig. 8 is a side elevation showing the method of construction when the device is not intended to be used asa cushion,

v but simply as a lock. Fig. 4 is a side elevation showing its application whenholding a single nut on bridge-timbers.

In Fig. I, A represents the iish-plate, B, the track; the dotted lines C andC, the nuts on the bolts; D, the body of the locking device, E E, the bolts. Y

The body of the device D, which is made of a suitablesized wire for the purpose, has coils F F of a spiral spring at two positions in its length to suit the distance from center to center of the bolts in the fish-plate. The inside diameters of the coils F F are such as to slip easily over the body of the bolt. The end of the coil F projecting beyond the bolt is turned into an eye, as shown at G. The end of the coil F is turned into a hook-catch, H,

II being an end view of the same.

The locking-lever .I has an eye on its lower end, K, which is clinched in the eye G of th-e body of the device, so as to swivel loosely therein. The upper end of this locking-lever L serves asa handle to spring it in and out ofthe hook H of the body of the device D.

Though I prefer to lock the nutsl on an angle, as shown in Fig. 1, if it is desired to lock them so that their sidesvare parallel, we have simply y to bend the body of the device D, as in Fig. 2, with the back eye, G, down, asin Fig. l, and the end H down instead of up, holding the end L of the locking-lever J substantially the same, H being an end view of this construction.y

In Figs. l and 2 the single spiral-spring coils F and F under the nuts C and C', when compressed by these nuts, serve as a cushion for the same and prevent the rattle of the nuts, though locked on the bolts, which would occur when the body of the bolts become stretched from the tensile strain on them. If 8 5 it is desired to apply this locking device without this coil-spring cushion, I bend the body D in loops F and F', as in Fig. 3, to fit the bolts E E with both its outer ends, G and H, the same as in Fig. 2, H being an end view of 9o the hook H. This method of bending the body D in .the loops F and F makes them present a fiat surface, and simply forms a washer for the nuts C and C to screw down on.

The construction of this device, when applied on timber for bridge purposes, `&c., to hold a nut ou a single bolt, is shown in Fig. 4, the end H of the body D being bent the same as Figs. 2 and 3, Hin this ligure being an end view of the same. The other end, M, is bent ina spring-coil and continued around, so as to IOO vform the locking-lever J. The coiled end M is held fast to the timber O by means of the staple P, a side elevation of which is shown at R.

This staple is Vdriven into the timber O so as to span the coil M, which holds the same in a firm and positive manner fast to the timber O. In this construction the coil F' is the same as in Figs. 1 vand 2, though, if desired, can be formed in the loop F of Fig. 3. It is not necessary, as in Fig. 4,. to bend the end of the body D into the coil M. This end may be bent the same as G in Figs. 1, 2, and 3, and it is not essential to the working of the device that the eye G of Figs. 1, 2, and 3 should be bent as they are; but the body D might be continued out and turned into a coil, as M in Fig. 4, and continued around,so as to form a lockinglever, J, either method of constructing this end permitting the. end L of the locking-lever J to be sprung in and out of the hook H in the body D.

This looking device is shown constructed of round wire. Steel, iron, or brass may be used in shapes flat, oval, square, or round, to suit the taste, the durability of the device in performing its work satisfactorily depending on the quality of the material used.

Having thus described my invention, the manner of applying the same is as follows: In Fig. 1, the bolts E being in position through the fish-plate, the spring-coil F and F in the body of the device D is slipped over the bolts against the sh-plate, the locking lever J then being in the position as indicated by the dotted 'lines J in Fig. 4. The nuts C and C are then screwed on thebolts, so as to compress the coils of the springs F and F', which serves as a cushion to take up the lost motion created by the` straining of the bolts.v Then the locking-lever J is brought to bear up against the side of the nut C at a, and down on the side C at a', the end L then being forced down so as to spring under the hook H of the body- D, this hook H holding the locking-lever J in position against the sides of the nuts C and C at a a. This principle of applying the device, as deseribedin Fig. 1, is the same for Figs. 2, 3, and 4.

Having thus described my improvement, what I claim as new, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is-

A nut-lock consisting of the wire body D,

provided with a hook at one end, an eye at the other, andan intermediate loop which fits upon a bolt, in combination with a wire locking-lever, J, pivoted to said eye at one end and engaging with said hook at the other, this locking-lever fitting against one side of the nut, for the purpose set forth.

In testimony whereof I aix my signature in presence of two witnesses.

VILLIAM C. MCLIMANS. Witnesses:

GEo. A. LANE, WM. J. MINGLE. 

